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Lavochkin La-200 Avis kit problems - anyone else building one?


John R

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I have just started one of these and already finding mis-labelled and mis-fitting parts. Anybody having fun like this and are there any more problems awaiting me?

Edited by John R
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  • 1 month later...

Now reached the stage of fitting things into the fuselage. Be warned - the fuselage halves fit together well but nothing else does! If you can nail a jelly to the ceiling you might get by.

If you start one of these check where everything goes before applying any glue.

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I've just buttoned up the fuselage - with great difficulty :banghead:

I had to shave off a lot of the cockpit side panels - and fettle with the lower engine jetpipe - even so there are large gaps on the underside.

The two nose radomes are mis-identified, I think - as are the two jetpipes !!! - the longer one is the front one.

I had to mount the rear (longer, incorrect) jetpipe further forward in the fuselage - otherwise it sticks out at the back end and the fuselage won't close up.

It is now smothered in filler while I go for a lie down...........

Ken

PS - For those who haven't got the kit - you have to fit, from front to rear, a five-part intake assembly, the front undercarriage bay, a multi-part cockpit assembly, a three-part front jetpipe - with a pen knib fairing, the main wheel bays (made up from four parts) and a three-part rear jetpipe plus ill-fitting bulkhead.

All that into one fuselage half - then you have to attempt to fit the other fuselage half :analintruder:

I will not be beaten though....

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Been there done that! Your findings agree with mine.

Regarding the intake assembly you are invited to fit it together before fitting it into the fuselage. However, based on a quick tacking together and experience of fitting other bits together, I felt that it would be better to assemble the bits in situ and this, though far from easy, seemed to pay off as the centre (top) bit needed trimming.

Innards fitted

Ready%20to%20join_zps70herr9a.jpg

Fuselage after joining. Some filler required beneath the nose, the underside rear does not match very well and the pen nib fairing needs blending in but globs of filler do not seem to be required

Fuselage%20topside_zpsqzmgzps4.jpg

Underside%20assembled_zpsgfftem5k.jpg

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I see you numbered the parts in pencil - same as I did and a wise move.

I also note that you got the right jetpipe in the right location - unlike mine :doh:

My fuselage is together and the wings are just setting.

I don't like the way that the wings, tailplanes and fin all have inserts - with a join line that has to be filled.

It makes for a thin trailing edge - but each insert has to be reduced in thickness to fit - and the seam is right across the aileron/elevator/rudder !!!

And.... I think the wing fences are incorrectly numbered on the instruction sheet.

Apart from that ...... it's a great kit :whistle:

Ken

PS - Unusually the canopy fits perfectly :thumbsup:

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I don't like the way that the wings, tailplanes and fin all have inserts - with a join line that has to be filled.

It makes for a thin trailing edge - but each insert has to be reduced in thickness to fit - and the seam is right across the aileron/elevator/rudder !!!

Brilliant piece of design

And.... I think the wing fences are incorrectly numbered on the instruction sheet.

You are now ahead of me. Sounds about par for the course

You have not mentioned noseweight. I just bunged in a whole load behind the panel holding the intake bullet for the forward engine.

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You have not mentioned noseweight. I just bunged in a whole load behind the panel holding the intake bullet for the forward engine.

Same here - just in case !

Do you mind if I post some of my photos here?? - sort of parallel build......

Ken

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OK - here goes......

La-200_010.jpg

All the internals fitted inside the stbd fuselage half - the jetpipes are fitted as per the instructions - but are the wrong way round!

I have since removed the rear jetpipe and mounted it further forward - so it doesn't protrude beyond the fuselage opening.

La-200_011.jpg

Avis provide a fully detailed cockpit - and a complex intake/trunking assembly - closing up the fuselage halves was problematic.

La-200_013.jpg

Wings attached (joints need filling) - note the filler on the jetpipe gap - and where the inserts are on the lower wings and tailplanes.

La-200_014.jpg

Same for the fin insert on the port side.....the join is right across the rudder!

More photos of the sprue parts here.

The canopy and tailplanes are now attached - just needs the wing fences and ventral strake before a coat of primer.

Ken

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Two weeks intense physiotherapy, but last week I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so I'm not sure how much this two weeks is going to do, but I'm still going on it... Been 'on the list' for months...

I'm at Cosford, it's my local...., hopefully see you there mate :)

Oh and the La-200 looks great, really can't wait to get mine done! Will check back for more photos.... ;)

Edited by Radleigh
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Interesting thing about the seats. I tried to fit mine at a late stage after assembling the fuselage and they did not fit although Ken's picture shows his were OK. However he did say that he had to trim the cockpit sides to get the fuselage halves to close so maybe his cockpit was a bit wider.

One item to watch out for.

Seats%20dont%20fit_zpsaysosmfg.jpg

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My seats wouldn't fit either - I wondered if I had glued on the side panels wrong.

I had to do some trimming to get them fitted - they are a VERY tight fit.

Ken

PS - Mine is all buttoned up, the canopy is attached and it has a coat of grey primer (which revealed some gaps that need filling).

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PS - Mine is all buttoned up, the canopy is attached and it has a coat of grey primer (which revealed some gaps that need filling).

Snap!

John

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I brought mine back with me for my second week in hospital, something to pass the evenings. I'm not building the whole thing, just little bits, I will paint the bits needed when back home and carry on assembling from the weekend onwards.. I will also upload some pics Friday, but it looks like I'm a lucky one. Dry fitted all the internals bar the exhaust pipes and it closes up nicely, nothing has been sanded to make it fit. Will post pics Friday though as said. Not made the seats, so I'm guessing they will cause issues fitting into that snug cockpit!

Looking good chaps too!!

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John, unification has played a dirty trick with AVIS, proceeding from the available photos,

the transition form from a drop tank to a wing of La-200 with Thorium,

la200-14.jpg

differs

la200-8.jpg

from La-200 with the Korshun!

la200-8.jpg

It doesn't mean that theoretically La-200 with the Korshun couldn't bear the same tanks that

were at La-200 with Thorium.

B.R.

Serge

Edited by Aardvark
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****! Thank you Aardvark - I have that picture and a drawing that shows that configuration but I did not notice. A quick check with the drawing seems to show that the tanks are about the right length but without the correct mountings. It also showed that I had them too far outboard - the kit instructions were vague about this. I have managed to remove them without doing too much damage. Whether I will be able to replace them neatly is another matter - watch this space

Edited by John R
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Now that I have finsihed my HMS Spartan model, I'm back building mine.

Nearly there.... (Halfords Aluminium with a top coat of Games Workshot 'Purity Seal' satin varnish)...

La-200_015.jpg

Still needs the underwing stars....

La-200_016.jpg

La-200_017.jpg

Now to tackle the undercarriage - which is levered-suspension trailing arm AND angled outwards from the fuselage.

To get this orientation, Avis make each leg in 3 parts - making for a very weak assembly - with very short axles and mounting lugs at the top....

La-200_018.jpg

The front U/C has a leg with a separate fork - making another weak joint.

It's going to be a nightmare getting it all set up - and strong enough to support the weight.

Ho-hum....

Ken

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Aaah! The u/c. I'm not looking forward to that. It did look a bit of a nightmare and flimsy with it.

What are you going to do about the drop tanks now we have found out that they are incorrect? I am in the process of reshaping the mountings.

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